Final day in Dublin

I'm sorry I've been missing for so long.  After getting back from Dublin and then getting the gastro bug, I got very behind with everything and by evenings just wanted to collapse.

Last Monday Hugh started a Personal Trainer course.  This is something he's wanted to do for a while and it's finally come true.  He's working really hard and really enjoying it. In the evenings we sit and go through everything he's learnt that day and then, if needed, I'll test him on what he's learnt.  It's fantastic to see him finally doing what he's wanted to do and I believe he'll be a wonderful Personal Trainer when he's qualified.  So, if I don't post as often, please understand. I hope you'll still pop back from time to time to see if the blog's been updated and I'll be visiting blogs whenever I can but my family comes first and life is quite busy at the moment.  

I'm still taking my photo a day photos but I'm not going to post all the ones I've missed on the blog.  I'm hoping to get back into the habit of at least posting them every few days again and will try and keep up to date.  

In the meantime, here are the photos from our final day in Dublin.

 On our last day in Dublin we decided to get an early start after breakfast caught the Luas in to town. We walked down to the Liffey where I got a few photos. I love the reflections in the water

 capturing the buildings along the river

 and both the buildings and the reflection.

 We then walked up towards Christ Church Cathedral. This statue was up on the side of one of the buildings

 I love bridges between buildings - we've seen them in Cambridge, Oxford and now Dublin.

 Approaching Christ Church Cathedral on one side of the road ....

 and coloured doors on the other side. There are coloured doors all over Dublin. I'd love a coloured front door too - something I'll have to think about :o)

 Christ Church Cathedral

 While we were looking around the Cathedral, we heard a roar from the road and turned to see one of the Viking tours - such fun!

 From the Cathedral we headed back down to the river where I got a chance to see some of the bridges again.  There are 20 bridges over the River Liffey and although we didn't see them all I loved the ones we did see.

 Ha'penny Bridge was one of my favourites.

 O'Connell Street Bridge

 Samuel Beckett Bridge

 And a final one of the lamps on Ha'penny Bridge

 We walked round Dublin centre for a while, had lunch, looked at the shops and on the way home came across St Anne's Church of Ireland and went in to have a look around. It calls itself  "The Church in the heart of the city with the city at it's heart"

 There were some beautiful stained glass windows. 

 In the evening we headed back into the city to find somewhere to eat.  On the way back to the hotel I couldn't resist taking another couple of photos of the river

 And I had to get a photo of a green post box (& Jon) ;o)   I'd heard all about them and Claire had seen one when she went to Dublin but we hadn't seen any until this last evening.

And when we got off the Luas at the hotel stop, I loved these clouds behind the Guiness buildings.  The evening light in Dublin was fantastic and I could happily sit watching it change as the sun set.  We were early to bed that night as we had an early start the next morning.

 We were up bright and early on the last day and had to be at the airport by 7am.  Once through security we went to find somewhere to have some breakfast while we waited to board the plane.  We settled on The Chocolate Lounge :o)

 Where Emily had a hot chocolate and brownie and Jon and I had coffees and I had soda bread toast.

 We had a great view of the planes and sat watching this one being unloaded, refuelled and saw the next lot of passengers get ready to board.

Then we were homeward bound ourselves.  Thank you Ireland for making us feel so welcome and for having wonderful weather while we were there ;o)

xx

Dublin 2012 - Day 3

I was out of action yesterday after picking up the virus that Claire and Alice have had. It left me feeling totally drained, with a splitting headache and feeling sick. I'm glad to say, this morning I felt a little bit better and this afternoon I am feeling better still. Hoping that by tomorrow I'll be back to normal.  In the meantime ...

Day 3

I woke up early on the morning of Day 3 and seeing as neither Jon or Emily were awake by the time I'd had a shower and got ready, I thought I'd go downstairs and have a walk around the little park opposite the hotel.

Our Hotel

 The park is the Croppies Memorial Park, which is in memory of the Croppy Boys of the 1798 rebellion (named Croppy because of their cropped hair cuts).  The Croppies Acre memorial is on the next site along, below the Museum at Collins Barracks, which is believed to be where their bodies were buried after execution.

 It was lovely and peaceful walking round the park, even with the rush hour traffic on the other side of the fence.

 The statue in the pond is Ana Livia who used to be in a fountain in O'Connell Street and was known as "The Floozie in the Jacuzi" because she was surrounded by the fountains - not so much in this setting though.

 Looking across the park towards the hotel

 And this one was taken from the hotel side of the road, looking across the park towards Heuston Station.

Once Jon and Emily were up and we'd had breakfast we decided to head back to town to catch the Dart from Connolley Station to Howth (about 25 minutes north of Dublin).   As we came out the station there was a little shop with a free map of the area and headed towards the harbour.

As we approached I heard a lady standing by the harbour wall saying "they're so sweet!" so we went over to see what she was talking about and there were two seals in the water.

 This one looked like quite a wise old man but what got me was that his eyes looked sad.

 This one seemed a bit younger.

I also never realised how big their noses are - random I know but it was one of the things I noticed.

 A few of the fish shops and restaurants along the harbour

 Fishing boat

 The lighthouse

 Looking out to Ireland's Eye which, we realised while we were there, we had seen from the plane as we approached Dublin.

 Nicky's Plaice

 We then walked back round the harbour heading towards the sea

 past the Marina

 and on to the sea wall, which we followed all the way round to the lighthouse.

 This was the boat taking people out to Ireland's Eye.  I zoomed in to get the photo so, no, we didn't go on it.  It left before we got to where it had been berthed and wasn't back by the time we were making our way back again.

 Emily catching up with us after taking a few photos of her own.  I love how we see different things when we're out.

 Jon in front of the beacon.

 The lighthouse

 Walking back towards the station I spotted this High Cross.  We had seen an exhibition of High Crosses at the museum when we went on the Wednesday but they had been made from casts so it was nice to see one in it's actual setting.

A close up of the writing on the base.

Howth was definitely a favourite and I took quite a number of photos. I'd be unable to put them all up on the blog but if you want to see a few more, there are some on flickr.  

xx